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My writing Laptop – made out of paper clips?

Can you make a laptop out of paperclips? I have always had my trusty laptop for the past few years and it hasn’t given a single problem. Recently however, this changed.

The death of my laptop was very sudden and very sad – but we have to move on.

In the meantime – I was stuck. My companion was dead and with nothing to view my emails, I finally decided – after a week of complaining – to build my own.

I do not know what possessed me that day; but I was angry and wanted to do something with my spare time. To be honest I am no electrical engineer, so I did not know where to start, but then I did.

Over the school years, I have had plenty of paperclips. These often went unused when the stapler became handy. So to business – I will explain it here.

First, I will admit something. What I have created is not a computer – as for that it would be better to invest in relays or transistors. My computer is not based on the world of bits or bytes – no.

All it is, is simple circuits that use a basic – but delightfully complex – system of mechanical cross manipulation (i.e. electromagnets; resistors) . All I can do on my paperclip PC is simple mathematical arithmetic – 1 + 1; 2+2; 3+3 and I have to find the result by a certain LED light that represents the number. It works on the keyboard system, where there is too layered frames and when a key is pressed – it lowers the frame onto a circuit where another frame handles the cross manipulation. If you want to subtract a number from another number – your result will be shown on the left hand side of the keyboard and for addition; the opposite.

Although this is only just a crude example of what you can do with the clutter lying around your house, these things can be done! Take it from the guy that tried to build a nuclear reactor in his kitchen.